Overload ... sure, I guess so ... I think also it's seeing behind the facade of it all too.
I became involved in the BKWSU when I was pretty young and, if I am honest know, stupid. Or let's say, "hugely inexperienced about life". I knew absolutely nothing about Indian or Sindhi culture and little more about the business of religion. I wanted there to be some mystical "Wizard of Oz" path to life or magic and, I think, allowed myself to go along with and recycle the fairy story element, believing it was it (I was lucky not so see much of its dark side).
If I am to take full responsibility for it ... which I don't actually agree with the idea of ... I allowed myself to be lead along believing that, or being led to believe, that eventually ... somewhere at the end of the yellow brick road I would gain some magic power or have magic experiences. They give you lots of encouragement and promises that this is going to happen at some point ... but it doesn't. I can still remember the sort of things they used to say.
It was largely, as you recently wrote in another one of your posts, really just stroking our egos. BKism can turn you into an instant guru if you can play the part. The ego loves it. But the deal is they get a business commission out of it, which can be anything from 10% to 100%, not just of your financial security/life/career etc ... but of your soul.
Having swallow the hook, or poisoned apple once, and pulled or spat it out just in time ... I think one becomes shy of doing it again and see what much of the rote, ritual and psychobabble is ... sugarcoating, marketing, a disguise, a way to 'top dog' it over others etc ... and realise that most of it is just pointless in real life.
Even moreso, it really does not prepare you to succeed (which I define at the most basic level of survival) in the world we live in.
I am thinking, if we look at the individuals who have popularised "spirituality" in the West, e.g. those who brought in Buddhism, spread Yoga and vedanta etc, most then often they were already quite privileged individuals who either had everything or had families who did.
Is "spirituality" and "esotericism" just a kind of a luxury good or luxury entertainment. Think to who and how the BKs are marketing themselves now with their relatively luxury retreat centers and 5 star hotel gigs. Even when there's poverty involved, it tends to be of a "romantic" or exotic nature, e.g. street kids in South America, villagers in Rajasthan.
There are very few to no jobs in the Brahma Kumaris. You cannot train to become a center-in-charge and then be paid to be one, with insurance, a pension and a retirement home like a priest. They don't even offer the security monks and nuns have. Other New Agey or Hindu imperialists outfits all offer similarly poor deals ... so what's else is there in it?
I tend to think that is much the same of other traditions, e.g. the Hare Krishnas or even Buddhism. There's a lot of learning of stuff for which the only point is keeping up appearances and the sustenance of business. For example, do gods or Buddhas really require to you bow and clap three time, wave incense in a particular way and say the same magic spell? It strikes me their existence is fairly unimaginative and must be pretty boring too. Like being in the civil service only wearing a different uniform.
Of course, the truth is, I am not that stupid and gullible so I ask myself how are kids and others influenced by all these promises.
In Good Bye Yellow Brick Road Elton John wrote:Maybe you'll get a replacement
There's plenty like me to be found
Mongrels who ain't got a penny
Sniffing for tidbits like you on the ground
So goodbye yellow brick road
Where the dogs of society howl
You cannot plant me in your penthouse
I am going back to my plough
"Oh I've finally decided my future lies ..." Good Bye Yellow Brick Road (and The Muppet Show).